Whispers of the Temple
by Scriptor Sapiens
Summary: As the Clone Wars come to a climax, five Jedi meet in the Council Chambers to discuss the dire situation they now face


_So, how is the story shaping up? Good? Bad? I wrote this chapter on the 24__th__ of January, and I was thinking of publishing it as part of my new Jedi Trials story, but I decided that you rabid readers deserve a bit of action in that story, and this situation fits best right before Anakin is elected to the Council in Episode III. This is taking place as Anakin is having his dream._

Yoda sat in the darkness of the Council chambers. Darkness had fallen long ago, and the city-scape of Coruscant had dissolved into a host of lighted pinpricks, like a galaxy of its own.

But the dark was good. It helped the aged Grand Master ponder the increasing load on his mind with less distraction.

The doors silently opened. Yoda heard the padding of feet on the cold stone floor as several councilors entered. He could identify them all without opening an eye.

The heavy thump of boots, and a confident swagger. Mace Windu.

Regal and refined treads, carefully measured and precise. Obi-Wan Kenobi.

Soft padding, so silent it barely made noise, yet the feet were bare. Shaak Ti.

Soft steps, but, to Yoda's ears at least, a heavy breathing through a respirator. Plo Koon.

The four Jedi sat in their respective seats. The cushions wheezed almost silently as they all sat down.

All was silent as the five beings waited for the first word o be uttered.

"More and more complicated, this war grows."

Obi-Wan closed his eyes in weary assent. "The Senate has just elected to give more power to Palpatine."

"He is a dictator in everything but name," Plo agreed. He too had been watching the holo-news eagerly.

"Perhaps we should do something about it?"

"What can we do Master Windu?" Shaak Ti sighed. "Stage a coup de etat and hope that the Senators don't notice the change? This whole thing is a tibana tank, and one small spark will set it off."

Yoda nodded. "Without the Chancellor, lost the senate would be. Knows this, he does."

"And the Chancellor is constantly endearing himself to young Skywalker," Plo said. "If the boy truly is the Chosen One, then the whole Order will be under his thumb, and under the Chancellor's thumb through him."

"The boy grows stronger with each passing day," Mace growled. "Before he left, he and I sparred. The result was a stalemate. Cin was watching, and you should have seen his face. He went white. White as a ghost."

Obi-Wan developed a frown, but said nothing.

"And why was Cin so affected?" Shaak inquired.

Mace gave a dark look at the Councilors. "He said that it was because he thought that I was losing."

The Council was in stunned silence.

Obi-Wan's visage grew sour. "The only reason you would worry about this, would be if you did not trust him. And you thought that if you lost his support, he could turn against and defeat you."

The silence that followed was enough to confirm the statement.

"You think that Anakin would _betray_ you? That he would turn against this Council, whose members have been like his family, and destroy you? Has he not done enough to earn your trust? Has he not _proven _his loyalty to you? What further proof do you require of his loyalty? Name it, and he has done it!"

Plo reached out and gently placed a hand on Obi-Wan's shoulder. "We do not doubt the boy's devotion, but I wonder to _whom _is he devoted? To the Jedi or to the Republic? The Chancellor has a way with words, and he might manipulate the boy into believing that he _is_ the Republic."

Obi-Wan jerked away. "So you _do_ question his loyalty."

"Yes, we do," said Mace with a firm tone. "He has become increasingly wrapped up in the Chancellor's dealings, and is a few strings short of being his puppet."

Obi-Wan's face was of utter revulsion. He could not belive what he was hearing: the Council _openly_ declaring that Anakin was untrustworthy.

"I would like to ask what proof you require, but I know that you will not accept it."

"I agree with Master Kenobi," Shaak Ti stated. "Skywalker is merely young, and has friends in high places because of his skill. We must _trust _him, because if he does not believe we trust him, he will not trust us in kind, and he will be easily manipulated into betraying us."

Yoda's silence though this exchange was not unnoticed by Plo Koon. "What do you think Master Yoda?" 

The green alien looked up at the anxious faces of his friends and colleagues. "Agree with all of you, I do. Perhaps, to our advantage this situation could be made."

"How do you mean?" Plo inquired.

"If trusts Skywalker, Chancellor Palpatine does, then more open he will be with him than to us."

Shaak Ti was aghast. "You mean for him to spy on the Chancellor?"

Obo-Wan shared a similar countenance. "What you suggest is betrayal in and of itself! Anakin views Palpatine as a mentor and close friend! We would be forcing him to choose loyalties, and I'm sure Palpatine will find out!"

"I feel it is a risk worth taking," Plo said. "The Chancellor has been acting more and more authoritative. Perhaps we will find his true motives."

"And he views you as a father Kenobi," Mace pointed out. "He would not betray you."

"How _DARE_ you use his feelings to manipulate him!" Shaak Ti was on her feet as Obi-Wan paled from what had been said. "He is merely a boy!"

"COMPOSE YOURSELF MASTER TI!" Mace roared. "He should not have any feelings in the first place! His attachments are against the Jedi code, and we have given him more and more room for error, but now he must reciprocate our generosity."

Shaak Ti went to a new shade of scarlet and opened her mouth to speak, but a sharp glance from Yoda silenced her. So she instead apologized and sat down.

"Present this idea to the full Council tomorrow, we will. But now, return to our chambers, we must."

It was more an order than a suggestion. The councilors stood and exited the room with a sweep of robes and the hiss of the door hydraulics.

Yoda was once again in silent darkness, left to brood on the newest development of the night.

_What did y'all think? Review PLZ!_


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